Today's Dillema..it's always something!!

[BLTSam]

So, please help us decide if we should purchase an Owner's Locker or not. It is myself, my wife, and DD (1). We usually go 2-3 times a year to WDW. We are trying to figure out if the $100 a year will be worth it. What have your experiences been?

 

[Brandis]

Try to make a list of things you have to bring every trip and then think about how much space in your luggage it would save you if you don't have to take it along.

I just got a locker on my last trip so I only started to fill it.

I put in

- raincapes
- sunscreen
- deodorant
- toothpaste
- toothbrush

 

[Brian Noble]

If it saves you bringing one extra bag on each of those 2-3 trips, that alone might pay for it. It's also worth thinking about how much stuff you buy and throw away each trip that you might be able to instead keep from trip to trip; laundry detergent, coffee filters, etc.

But, my sense is that OL is really more about convenience than it is necessarily about saving money. That doesn't mean its a bad thing---and I'm thinking about getting one myself. But, I can't quite justify it just in dollars and cents terms.

 

[disneynutz]

We met a couple last year who uses a couple of lockers and they only bring 1 carry on when they come to WDW. Everything else is stored in their lockers.

Bill

 

[Luckymommyx2]

The cost or convenience doesn't really save anything for us. We ship everything down and back... clothes, toiletries, etc and it still is cheaper than the Owners Locker. (We normally go twice a year.) I know a lot of people love their OL but it just doesn't make sense for our family.

 

[bwvBound]

We are forced to FLY to WDW. The OL is a huge savings for us -- allowing us to store things that are now both cumbersome and costly to tote back and forth by air. However, if we could DRIVE to WDW I'm pretty certain we'd skip the OL and simply lug a similar totebox in the vehicle as we do when visiting resorts in the western states.

Suggestion: Grab a totebox of similar size from your garage ... and place into it the things you consider "need for DVC vacation": cooking items (spice wheel, sharp knife, kitchen scissors), bath items (favorite brands of shampoo/conditioner, hair styling products and tools, foot repair cremes), baby items, sun/rain gear, electronics (power strip, phone/camera chargers, wifi router), bedding (favorite pillow cases, fitted sheets), clothing, laundry products, etc. Then determine if it is easier/better to (a) keep those same items readily available in an OL; (b) gather them and move them with you when you travel; (c) buy these items when you arrive WDW; or (d) <any other alternative method> ...?

Edited to add:
Luckymommyx2: Shipping is a good idea. I haven't really looked at that approach. Thx!

 

[Brandis]

I actually wanted to buy a big bottle of the Disney / H2O shower gel to keep in the locker but unfortunately the Jambo House shop didn't have it.

 

[ADAMANDLISA]

We've had our Locker for quite a while now. When we first got it, we were flying all the time. This year we have started driving down and have plenty of room for everything we need in our van.

That being said, I can't imagine giving back our Locker. The convenience of not having to worry about packing so many things is nice. We keep full-size shampoo/cond, razor, shave gel, soap, etc., etc. Plus, as others have mentioned, coffee filters and laundry det. The kids swim toys and raingear, sunscreen.....the list goes on and on...!!!

 

[lucyem]

But, my sense is that OL is really more about convenience than it is necessarily about saving money. That doesn't mean its a bad thing---and I'm thinking about getting one myself. But, I can't quite justify it just in dollars and cents terms.

IMO going 2-3xs a year would make me think the convenience would be totally worth it.

Some people talk about leaving things like waffle makers and bottles of alcohol in their OLs. Those kinds of things would be difficult and expensive to take on a plane or ship down. If we flew we would totally consider OL just to have a real espresso maker there. Talk about expensive latte's

As bwvBound suggested fill a rubbermaid bin with the items you would leave there. Read other lists and see what other people leave. That should help you decide what works best for your needs.

 

[jekjones1558]

I would pay double the current price (don't tell John and Brian) and not bat an eye. We have 2 lockers and could use a third so we could leave more clothes. The ease of packing and unpacking makes this service indispensable to me. I want hassle free vacations and I love having lots of convenience items handy. Saving costs on baggage fees is an extra perk but even if there were no baggage fees I would not give up my lockers. And there is a money back guarantee of satisfaction, so no risk.

 

[dianeschlicht]

OL is definitely worth it! We also go 2-3 times a year, and all airlines from here charge at least $15 a bag, and some as much as $25. We manage to now get all we need to bring in one carry on for each of us plus our computers.

 

[heathers4um]

Just this weekend I was at the dollar store and picked up some rain ponchos, toothbrushes, toothpaste, cotton swabs, qtips, hand sanitizer/lotion, an umbrella, and a few other things I forget now. That begins my OL inventory list! Our first meet with OL is on 10/31!

 

[Checkers]

We were down in May and used our OL for the first time. I shipped a box down to "stock" it and it is full. We usually visit 2 times a year and now we can get by with just one bag as I don't have to pack ponchos, full size shampoo/conditioner, sunscreen, umbrellas, laundry detergent, dryer sheets, ziplock bags (large/small) and many more items.

 

[Tara]

So, please help us decide if we should purchase an Owner's Locker or not. It is myself, my wife, and DD (1). We usually go 2-3 times a year to WDW. We are trying to figure out if the $100 a year will be worth it. What have your experiences been?

My experience has been overwhelmingly positive. Here are a few reasons.

1. We fly Southwest, so right now bag check fees are not an issue for us. I love the convenience of not having to pack-unpack-repack-unpack the Disney stuff every single time we go. (2-3x per year) It's a time saver and a energy saver for me - I don't have to THINK about that stuff as I'm getting ready for vacation.

2. Those Lockers might look purple, but they're actually pretty darned green! No more throwing out partially used but non-perishable items. No more buying travel-size toiletries. No more bottled water. No more shipping bulky items back and forth, or even still, carrying them with us in suitcases. (Remember, every item you transport on vacation has a carbon footprint, whether it is shipped by a carrier or as baggage on your airline.) They made that trip once and they're done, more or less. Yes, they get transported by van to and from the warehouse, but that's trivial in comparison to a 3hr flight each way, and that van transport is done in bulk, so the footprint is divided among lots of Lockers.

3. Our Lockers are the key to allowing us to "plus" DVC experience. We store things in our Lockers that we'd probably NEVER pack in our suitcases, but they make a huge difference in how comfortable, convenient and home-like our vacations are. This is especially important because we DVCers tend to spend more time in our rooms - speaking for my family, I know we do! It's lovely to have a fleece throw to cover up with on the couch as we watch a DVD rental from Community Hall. Or grind our own coffee beans fresh in the morning. A soak in the whirlpool tub is much more comfortable with my inflatable bath pillow. If that new Star Wars toy purchased at Hollywood Studios breaks, I can save the day with the Super Glue I have stored. And how precious is it to sit down as a family and read through our DVC experiences that we record in the scrapbook we store in a Locker?

 

[ToddyLu]

This is hysterical....last night I approached DH about getting an OL. He walked me out to our garage and measured one of our "bins" to show me the size. I want an OL and he really doesn't see the need. He doesn't get to hear himself griping about not having his favorite blanket while at WDW. This year we are driving. My approach will be to pack what we would keep in an OL -including his blanket (what is it with men and fleece) in one of our "bins"....then when he is lugging it up the elevator and down the long hallway to our room at Kidani he can see how nice it would be. My concern is that the discounts on their website will not last forever.

I could have my own Brita filter...which I have grown quite attached to. I could buy extra undergarments for us and leave just a couple of things to wear to make a quick flight down much easier. I told him how nice it would be to just leave everything there including a few clothes. I would just wash stuff. We could even have a couple of extra towels to use since Mousekeeping doesn't happen every day. You guys see the validity in my argument, right!!

Oh yes, OL will be mine Mawwwhaaahaaa!!

 

[DizGirl20]

We just joined OL during our last trip 2 weeks ago... and I am already wanting a 2nd. It was totally worth it for us as we purchased an air mattress and sheets (my kids don't want to share a bed anymore). And the laundry detergent - I hope it will last several trips.

If you are going 2-3 times per year then I would say absolutely look into OL. We plan to go only once or twice per year and I can say without hesitation for us it's totally worth it. My goal is to one day just bring carry-ons.

 

[Big Kid]

We have to fly to WDW with our nearly 3-year-old and a stroller. Even with ME, anything we can do to minimize the weight and volume of bags that we schlep around the airport and through security is priceless.

The other thing that I like about the OL is that it makes it more difficult to forget hard-to-remember miscellaneous stuff, like cell phone chargers, that would be tricky to shop for or pricey to replace while at WDW. It does a wonderful job of dampening that nagging feeling that I forgot something important.

 

[jamstew]

I love the freedom of only having to pack clothes and medications!

 

[BLTSam]

Thanks for all of the great responses so far. Haven't pulled the trigger on the OL yet, but getting close! Anyone else care to chime in?

 

[goofy4tink]

Love my purple bin!!! I keep an assortment of 'stuff' in there. I have about 4 changes of clothes, extra shoes, sunscreen, shampoo/conditioner. Dishes, flatware, glasses (comes in handy when staying in a studio or regular resort room), clothespins, string/clothesline, cards, misters, hats.
It makes it so nice not to have to worry about what to bring. I use carryon only if going for less than 5 days, on my own.
I love not having to worry about all that extra stuff that I don't always need, but have to carry down with me, just in case I do need it...now, it's already there, in my OL, waiting for me. I have been able to pack much lighter now.